Internal combustion engines can utilize a Miller cycle to reduce parasitic pumping losses and fuel consumption rate. The Miller cycle has a greater expansion rate than compression rate because the mass of intake gas trapped in a cylinder of the engine during a compression stroke is reduced relative to an amount trapped during a standard intake closing event for a four stroke (e.g., Otto cycle) engine. A Miller cycle can be performed by controlling the intake valve closing using an early intake valve closing (EIVC) or late intake valve closing (LIVC) strategy.